How to Make an RC Car Jump in Under 5 Minutes!

Ever looked at your driveway and thought it was missing something? A ramp. It's definitely missing a ramp. Catching air is one of the best parts of RC bashing, but you don't need to spend hours building a wooden kicker to get your car off the ground. In fact, you can make a perfectly functional DIY RC ramp in under five minutes using stuff you probably already have lying around the house.

Let's jump into it, shall we?

What You'll Need

Before you start slicing, grab the following:

• A sturdy cardboard box. I found one lying around that was 28x40x55cm, but you can go smaller or larger depending on your RC car. The thicker the corrugated cardboard, the better it will hold up to repeated hits.

• Packing tape. You might not need it initially, but it's handy for reinforcing the ramp if the cardboard starts to tear or buckle.

• A sharp hobby knife or utility box cutter.

• A marker pen.

Step 1: Mark Out Your Box

Using your marker, draw a diagonal line across the side of the box, starting from a top corner down to the opposite bottom corner. Repeat this on the other side. The angle of this line will dictate your ramp's trajectory. A steeper angle gives you more vertical air, while a shallower angle is better for distance.

I found a standard 45-degree cut works perfectly for a 1/10 scale RC buggy or truck. The best part? By cutting diagonally, you'll actually end up with two jumps from a single box.

Step 2: Make the Cut

Take your knife and carefully cut along the lines you just marked. Please be very careful doing this — cardboard can be surprisingly tough, and it's easy to slip. Always cut away from your body and keep your fingers clear of the blade's path.

Once you've sliced through both sides and the top, the box should separate into two wedge-shaped ramps.

Step 3: Test Your New Jump!

Set your new ramp up on a flat surface like a driveway or short grass. Surprisingly, a good quality box often doesn't need any weight to stop it from sliding. However, if your car is pushing the ramp instead of launching off it, just pop a brick or a heavy rock inside the back of the wedge to anchor it down.

Test it, modify the angle if needed, tape up any weak spots, and most importantly, have fun with it!

Best RC Cars for Jumping

Not all RC cars are built to survive gravity. If you're planning to spend your weekend sending it off homemade ramps, you want a dedicated basher with plush suspension and a durable chassis. Here are three of our favourites:

Pro Tips for Air Control

Jumping isn't just about hitting the ramp as fast as possible. Once your car leaves the lip, you can actually control its pitch using the throttle and brakes.

• Nose dropping? Hit the throttle. The rotational mass of the spinning tyres will pull the nose up.

• Nose pointing at the sky? Tap the brakes. Stopping the wheels will drop the nose forward.

• Stick the landing: Always try to land with the chassis parallel to the ground. Ideally, let off the throttle just before touchdown to save your drivetrain from a heavy shock load.

Get Airborne with Hobbies Direct

Whether you're building a quick cardboard kicker or a permanent wooden ramp, jumping is what RC bashing is all about. If you do happen to land on your roof and snap a suspension arm, don't stress. We stock over 78,000 products, and our Part Finder tool makes it easy to enter your car model and find exactly what fits. With same-day dispatch on in-stock orders, you won't be grounded for long.

Need advice on setting up your suspension for bigger jumps? Contact us — our team of genuine RC hobbyists is always ready to talk shop.